I Know You
by DragonGrin - former TeenTypist
Summary: Petunia is bringing her new boyfriend home for dinner and Lily has the faintest feeling that she's seen him before. Vernon/Petunia. AU


**Author's Note:** This plot bunny came to me today and begged to be written. I also tried writing a similar story under the name GrinningDragon over a FictionPress. They came out surprisingly different. I'm not sure I've ever read anything remotely like this before and I don't know where it came from, so please, give me your thoughts. Also, if anyone wants to suggest a better title or summary, I'm all ears.

And if you're waiting for an update on Mugglefied or the Professor, I swear they're coming. Mugglefied will hopefully go up by Monday. I'm about halfway through the chapter. Last week was insane at work, and my car and phone were both in for repairs to boot. It was a long, long week. Last night and today I've finally got some writing done and it feels so good.

* * *

Sighing, Lily packed away her freshly laundered robes (which she wouldn't need for another two months) and starred for a moment at the jeans, skirts, and shirts she'd be wearing this summer. It was funny to think that robes felt more natural to her anymore than denim. Her mother had admonished her that she needed to look nice tonight. Petunia was bringing her new boyfriend over for dinner and she was evidently quite smitten with him. She didn't want her freak of a sister to embarrass her.

Lily delayed going downstairs for as long as she could, revising her charms essay and cleaning her owl's cage before showering. She'd just come back into her room in a towel and was considering what to wear when Petunia stormed into her room.

"You're not dressed yet? He'll be here anytime. He wants to meet the whole family. I don't know why he'd want to meet a freak like you, but he says family is important," she sneered. "Put something on that won't embarrass me. Oh, never mind, I'll pick something out myself." She stalked passed her sister and flung open the wardrobe door, choosing a pale yellow top and salmon colored skirt. Lily wasn't sure she'd ever actually worn either of those items, let alone both together. Her sister thrust them into her arms. "Get dressed," she snapped, storming out with a huff.

Given that the clothes were already in her arms and her mother had told her not to make things difficult for Petunia tonight, Lily acquiesced. She even found some sandals at the bottom of her wardrobe that weren't totally unfortunate looking. And if nothing else, at least they weren't sneakers. That had to count for something. She brushed her hair and used her wand to dry it. Magically drying her hair made it shiny without damaging it like a blowdryer would have.

She could delay no longer and went downstairs, offering her mother assistance with dinner. "I've got it all under control, Lily. Just go out in the living room, Vernon just came in. And be nice."

Plastering a smile onto her face and straightening her skirt, Lily walked into the living room. Her father and sister were chatting amiably with a largish young man who was just growing the beginning of what looked like it would probably be a very impressive mustache. She couldn't help feeling that he looked familiar, though she couldn't quite place him. His eyes flickered over her once before going back to Petunia and Mr. Evans.

"Yes, I've just started as an office clerk with Grunnings, but I expect it to take me places. A company like that is always growing. Mr. Evans, Petty tells me you're an engineer?"

As Lily listened to her father talk about his work, a crease appeared between her eyebrows. Why was he familiar?

Her mother announced that dinner was ready and all five of them sat down to eat. Vernon was very solicitous to Mr. and Mrs. Evans, and spoke highly of Petunia. Eventually he came around to Lily.

"Petty tells me you're in boarding school?" he asked.

"Yes, it's a gifted program in Scotland. I was very fortunate to be invited," she said, sticking with their family agreed upon description of Hogwarts.

He nodded. "Scotland is beautiful. You're quite fortunate."

They were halfway through desert when Lily realized why Vernon looked familiar. For a fraction of a second, she thought her eyes might pop out of her head.

As the family got up to move into the living room for coffee, he asked where the toilet was. "I'll show him," Lily volunteered, a little too quickly. "I've got to get a sweater out of my room anyway. I'm a little chilly."

Petunia stared daggers as her, probably thinking she wanted to steal her boyfriend.

"Okay, you show Vernon where the restroom is. Petunia, please help me with the coffee," said Mrs. Evans.

Lily led Vernon down the hall and around the corner to the nearest bathroom and paused just outside the door. Her voice was quiet. "Vernon Dursely. Hufflepuff. You graduated a year ago."

"Oh Merlin. Don't tell her. For the love of god don't tell her," he said, his voice equally quiet. He darted a glance down the hall as if Petunia might stumble upon them.

"She doesn't know?"

"We met in a Muggle setting," he said defensively. "I couldn't tell her. The Statute and all that. And now that I know she knows about the wizarding world…I'm still not telling her. She makes such a point of pride on being normal and…I can see the way she snipes at you. I'm a Muggle-born. I can go without magic. She never has to know. And she's not going to." He glared at Lily as though daring him to contradict her.

"You can't _not_ tell her."

"Can. And will. She's…amazing. I'd do anything for her. I can be a Muggle for her."

"But that's not who you are."

"It is now. You tell me: do you think she'd have me if she knew I was a wizard?"

"She barely tolerates me, and I'm her sister. She calls me a freak. You want to date someone who would think you were a freak if she knew the truth?"

"I can live without magic. I love her. I want your word. You won't tell her."

"You're making a mistake," Lily said, shaking her head.

"You're a Gryffindor dammit. Give me your word. I know if you give it, you won't tell her."

"I won't tell her. But you should." Lily went up to her room for her sweater and back down again to the living room, though she hardly said another word the rest of the night, and could barely look at Petunia or Vernon.

* * *

Vernon felt nearly sick to his stomach when Petunia had announced she was pregnant. He was thrilled. He was going to be a father. But what if their son inherited his magic? He almost forgot he had any most of the time. He'd given it up altogether when he and Petunia had become serious about one another, and she never had to know.

There was a potion he could give her that would keep their child from inheriting his magic. He loved her with all his heart. He couldn't bear the thought of her feeling like he'd lied or betrayed her. He'd given up everything from the magical world for her.

She'd never forgiven her sister for choosing the magical world over the Muggle. Petunia couldn't even bare to hear Lily's name—not the Vernon ever said it.

He found a way to get her to drink the potion, but it wasn't easy. She'd said tersely afterwards that whatever it was he cooked, she was never eating it again. He'd laughed hollowly and agreed that he'd leave the cooking to her.

* * *

Dudley grew from a large baby to an even bigger toddler. To Vernon's relief, he displayed no signs of magic. The three of them lived a perfectly normal life…right until a bundle appeared on their doorstep.

There he was, with Lily's eyes. A little bundle of baby with a shock of disheveled black hair and bright green eyes. Even before they'd read the letter in the basket, there was only one person this baby could belong to.

How could he protect Petunia now? "We don't have to keep him. We could send him to an orphanage. It's early. No one has seen him."

"My sister's dead. And her husband. They've gone and gotten themselves killed."

Vernon shifted uncomfortably. When he'd left Hogwarts, war had been looming ever closer. When he met Petunia, he'd run away from it all, just another Muggle in the crowds. "He doesn't have any other family, does he?"

"Just us. It's just like my freak of a sister to get herself killed and leave us in a mess." She sniffed angrily.

"We'll do whatever you want, love," he said staunchly. "We can keep him, if you want. Or send him away."

It was a long time before Petunia spoke again. "We'll keep him. But I'm not letting him steal all our love and attention away from Dudley. Not like Lily stole our parents from me. Dudley will always come first," she said fiercely.

"Of course, love, of course." He did his best not to shudder. What sort of hell was this tiny baby going to bring on them? He was almost certainly going to be a wizard. It would tax poor Petty's nerves so.

Petunia picked Dudley up out of his high chair and jogged him on her hip. Harry was left in the basket, asleep, as the Dursley's had breakfast and debated his future.


End file.
